Introduction
In this article, we will explore the net worth of Reggie Jackson, an American former professional baseball player. Reggie Jackson is renowned for his illustrious career and contributions to the sport. We will delve into his net worth, career earnings, early life, and significant achievements. Join us as we take a closer look at the remarkable journey of Reggie Jackson.
What is Reggie Jackson’s Net Worth?
Reggie Jackson has a net worth of approximately $20 million. As a highly accomplished baseball player, he enjoyed a successful career that spanned from 1967 to 1987. Reggie Jackson played for notable teams such as the Kansas City/Oakland Athletics, the Baltimore Orioles, the New York Yankees, and the California Angels. In recognition of his exceptional talent and achievements, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993.
Career Earnings
Throughout his MLB career, Reggie earned over $9 million in baseball salary, which is equivalent to approximately $22 million in today’s value after adjusting for inflation. His peak annual salary reached $1 million, which he earned consistently from 1982 to 1986, translating to approximately $2.5 million per year in today’s value.
Early Life
Reggie Jackson was born on May 18, 1946, in Wyncote, Pennsylvania. He grew up in a family of four children, with his mother Clara and his father Martinez Jackson, a tailor and former second baseman with the Newark Eagles. When Reggie was four years old, his parents divorced, and his mother took custody of four siblings, while his father retained custody of Reggie and one other sibling from his first marriage. As one of the few Black families in Wyncote, Reggie’s father became a single father.
During high school, Reggie excelled in various sports, including football, basketball, track and field, and baseball. However, during his junior year, he suffered a serious injury, breaking five vertebrae during a game. Doctors initially doubted whether he would ever walk again, but Reggie made a full recovery. After graduating from high school in 1964, he received offers from both football and baseball recruiters. Around the same time, his father was arrested for bootlegging and was sentenced to six months in jail. Teams from the southern states were willing to break the color barrier to recruit Reggie due to his exceptional talent. He ultimately chose to attend Arizona State University on a football scholarship but switched to the baseball team after his freshman year.
Career
After graduating, Reggie Jackson was drafted by the Kansas City Athletics as the second overall pick in 1966. He spent one year in the Minor Leagues before making his debut in the Major Leagues in June 1967. Throughout his career, Reggie experienced tremendous success, playing for teams such as the Kansas City/Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees. Notably, in 1969, Jackson hit 47 home runs and briefly surpassed Babe Ruth’s record set in 1927. He was a key contributor to the Athletics’ several pennant wins and was named the MVP for the 1973 season. Following his time with the Athletics, Reggie played for the Baltimore Orioles for one season before joining the New York Yankees from 1977 to 1981.
After the 1981 season, Reggie became a free agent and expressed his desire to return to California to play. He signed a five-year contract with the California Angels under the ownership of Gene Autry. Reggie made his first appearance for the Angels on April 27, 1982, at Yankee Stadium, where he broke out of a season starting slump by hitting a home run off former teammate Ron Guidry. During his tenure with the Angels, they won the American League West and replicated the feat in 1986. On the 17th anniversary of his first home run, Reggie hit his 500th home run at Anaheim Stadium in 1984. In 1987, he signed a one-year contract to return to the Oakland A’s, retiring at the age of 41 after the 1988 season.
Reggie Jackson’s baseball legacy is unparalleled. Throughout his 21-season career, he reached the postseason in 11 seasons, winning six pennants and five World Series titles. With 563 career home runs, Reggie was a 14-time All-Star, a 2-time Silver Slugger Award winner, a 2-time World Series MVP, a Babe Ruth Award winner, and a 5-time World Series Champion. Notably, Reggie Jackson remains the only player in the “500 home run club” who never had consecutive 30 home run seasons.
Other Ventures
During the offseasons, Reggie Jackson worked as a field reporter and commentator for ABC Sports. He provided analysis in the ABC booth and had the honor of presiding over the World Series Trophy presentations in the 1980s. Following his retirement, Reggie continued his commentary role, covering the 1988 American League Championship Series for ABC. He also made appearances in several movies, including “Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!” where he portrayed an Angels outfielder programmed to assassinate the Queen of England. Furthermore, he appeared in films such as “Richie Rich,” “BASEketball,” “Summer of Sam,” and “The Benchwarmers.” As a guest star, he made appearances on popular TV shows such as “Diff’rent Strokes,” “The Love Boat,” “MacGyver,” “Malcolm in the Middle,” and “Archie Bunker’s Place.” In 2010, Reggie co-authored a book with fellow Hall of Famer Bob Gibson titled “Sixty-Feet Six-Inches.” Additionally, he endorsed the Sega Master System baseball video game “Reggie Jackson Baseball.”
Personal Life
During Reggie Jackson’s freshman year at Arizona State, he met Jennie Campos. Despite facing opposition due to their racial backgrounds (Reggie being Black and Jennie being Mexican-American), their relationship endured, and they later married. However, they divorced in 1973 and had one child together, Kimberly.
Attacks on Jackson
Regrettably, Reggie Jackson became the victim of multiple attacks during his career. In the early morning hours of June 1, 1980, shortly after hitting a game-winning 11th-inning home run against the Toronto Blue Jays, he encountered an attempted shooting. While searching for a parking spot near a singles bar he frequented in Manhattan, Reggie asked a vehicle blocking his way to move. In response, one of the occupants of the car hurled racial slurs at him and threw a broken bottle at his car. Another person in the car brandished a .38 caliber revolver and fired three shots at Reggie, all of which missed. The individual responsible for the attack, Angel Viera, was later charged with attempted murder.
During that summer, Reggie Jackson faced another alarming incident when leaving his favorite nightspot on the Upper East Side, Jim McMullen’s Bar, after celebrating his 400th career home run. He had a gun pointed at him. In March 1985, he was attacked after a California Angels spring training session, and later that month, he faced another assault and was threatened with a tire iron while leaving his bungalow at the Gene Autry Hotel, the Angels’ spring training residence.
Real Estate
Throughout the years, Reggie Jackson has owned several impressive properties, mainly on the West Coast. Unfortunately, his home in Oakland, California was destroyed in a fire in 1988, along with a nearby warehouse that housed his $3.2 million car collection. He also owns homes in Carmel and Newport Beach, California.
